Article and method for hermetically sealing packing vessels



' G. W. LUHRMANN. I

ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR HERMETICALLY SEALING PACKING VESSELS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1920.

1 ,3'7 9 ,1 1 3. Patented May 24, 1921.

m HWI IFHI 4 hr i i 'WLLLLU Snow WM 560. Wlzzfirwzarzna UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE w. LUHRMANN, F JERSEY CITY, N W JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'ro ANCHOR on? & CLOSURE CORPORATION, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A-CORPORATION O NEW Yo R.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Application filed January 8, 1920. Serial No. 350,240.

To all whom it concern:

Be 1t known that I, GEORGE W. LIJHR- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Articles and Methods for Hermetically Sealing Packing Vlessels, of which the following is a specification. w

This invention relates broadly to bottles and jars, and particularly to an improvement in jar caps of the kind wherein a portion of the cap or-cover is mechanically distorted or re-formed in the operation of sealing'the vessel, to effect a hermetic seal upon the side or peripheral wall of the vessel on which the cap is seated.

As is well known in the art, it has been customary for some time to seal food packages, suchas frangible vessels of glass by means of metallic covers or caps forming a closure for the vessel, the. formatlon of. a

hermetic seal between the'metal cap and the vessel being accomplished by the compression of a suitable gasket or packing of com pressible material between a portion of the cap and the vessel. In all cases wherein the sealing operation has been accomplished by the re-formation of a portion of the cap to accomplish the compression of the gasket or packing material, it has been customary to employ a'gasket of an. elastic material such as vulcanized rubber. In order to suitably compress the rubber so as to 'fill the space between the cap and the vessel and accommodate the irregularities in said portions, heavy pressures have been utilized, necessitating the use of comparatively heavy material in the cap in order to sustain the ten sion of the compressed gasket and hold it firmly in place. The use of these high forces has the effect of increasing the size of the machines employed, increasing wear on working parts, marring the lacquer finish of the caps, and constitutlng a continual source of danger to frangible vessels, which has resulted in a conslderable constant loss by breakage. By recent development in the art, machinery has been designed for accomplishing the re-formation of the cap by a some progressive shaping of the cap, thereby permitting the use of reduced forces and pressures and permitting the metal in the progress of the re-formation to accommodate itself to variations in the contour of the vessels. In the spinning operation, when the customary rubber gasket is utilized, there lsiatendency for it to creep ahead of the splnning rollers and become bunched at oint, thereby concentrating pressure and a ording a cause of breakage.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel structure for a sealing closure which will obviate the several defects and, difficulties in prior articles of this kind, by providing means whereby a frangible vesselmay be quickly, securely and hermetically sealed. Stated with more particularity, the objects of the invention include the following: 1

The'provision of a form and construction of closure which will permit the use of light metal; the provision of a closure which will permit the use of comparatively low pressure's in the operation of re-forming the cap to effect the seal; the provision of a closure which will positively maintain its position on the vessel in contemplated handling of the package, such'as packing, shipping, etc., yet which may be easily and quickly removed when desired to open the package; the provision of a closure which is adapted particularly to-be seated on a vessel by a spinning operation; the provision of a closure which is sightly and which may be aiiixed to a vessel without marring the lacquer or finish of the metal; the provision of a closure which will form a stable hermetic seal, and accommodate maximum variations in contour and finish of vessels, and the provision of. such a closure which is economlcal to manufacture and use and easy to of a charge of plastic adhesive sealing material between the peripheral wall of the vessel and the closure cap.

An ancillary object is the provision of a method of forming hermetic seals on packing vessels, whereby the advantages above specified are secured.

With these and other objects in view, which latter will either be pointed out hereinafter, or wil be obvious from the following description and claims and drawings forming a part of this specification, I have disclosed in the accompanying drawings one form in which the invention may be embodied, and have defined in the appended claims what I regard my invention to com prise, it being my intention that the particular embodiment disclosed is simply illustrative of one of a variety of structures in which theinvention may be embodied.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a tumbler and a closure cap embodying my invention, before the re-formation of the cap to effect the hermetic seal upon the vessel;

Fig. 2 represents a similar sectional elevation showing the manner in which the several'parts are associated to constitute a hermetically closed package; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical elevation of a package illustrating one of the fashions in which the closure may be removed from the vessel.

Referring to the illustrations by means of the reference numerals applied, let it be understood that the numeral 1 designates a container.suitable for the packaging of food or other material, which in the present form is illustrated as a glass tumbler. Associated with the vessel is a closure cap which comprises a top portion 2 of such form and extent as tr constitute a closure or cover for the mouth of the vessel. This closure cap is made of a suitable stable ductile material, such as sheet metal of a proper weight to hold its shape under the contemplated usage of such articles. The closurecap has a skirt portion 4 depending as an annular member of form and size suitable to encompass the peripheral wall of the vessel and provide a guide for accurately seating it on the vessel. A portion of the skirt at is shaped to provide a ductile re-formable portion which may be in the form of the head 5 providing a convex exterior projection and a concave interior channel or groove. -VVithin the groove is disposed a charge 6 of sea1- ing material. This sealing material is characterized by being coherent and impervious to air so that it will hold together and exclude air, plastic, so that it may be molded in the operation of sealing the cap to fill all space between the cap and the vessel in the sealing zone, and, to an extent, adhesive, so that it will retain its proper position in the channel during the handling of the cap,

and so that it will unite intimately with the face of the vessel when closed thereagainst so as to preserve the seal and assist in holding the cap in place. Materials suitable for use as the sealing charge are chicle, unvulcanized rubber, and equivalent materials or compositions. A cap of this description may be formed by simple-punching and spinning operations and the sealing charge placed in position while heated and set by exchange of heat to the cool metal of. the cap. The size and form of the bead 5 and the amount of material in the charge 6 are such that when the cap is placed upon the vessel 1, the surface of the charge 6 will be out of contact with the peripheral face of the vessel. In such position the cap may be supported on the vessel by the contact of the cover portion 2 upon the upper margin of the vessel wall.

As is well known in the art, and as is.

contemplated by my present invention, it is customary to seal packages of food under vacuum, for the purpose of enhancing their preserving qualities. With my invention the exhausting of the package in a suitable vacuum sealing machine is accomplished in the customary fashion, and is facilitated by the fact that the cap is loosely supported on the vessel, the metal having contact with the glass, and the glassbeing out of contact with the sealing material. This permits the free exhaustion of air from theinterior of the vessel.

The formation of the seal is accomplished by the re-formation of the bead 5 through suitable mechanical means. Such means can be constituted of a pair of coacting dies operating vertically to engage the convex portion of the bead and compress it vertically, or said mechanism may be comprised of suittable spinning devices effective to engage the bead to re-form it by spinning ortions thereof inwardly or vertically. e sealing mechanism is designated in the drawing by the numerals 7 and 8. The essential feature in the operation of the sealing mechanism is that it'be effective to re-form the head 5 in such fashion as to expel the sealing charge therefrom toward the peripheral wall of the vessel upon which the cap is seated. In the form illustrated this re-formation of the head is accomplished by' collapsing a portion thereof vertically, which is effective to accomplish forcing the sealing'charge inwardly into intimate contact with the surface of the vesselwall. The sealing charge readily accommodates this operation, because of its plasticity, which permits its being interjected or intruded between the vessel wall and por-' tionsof the skirt 4 adjacent the bead, as at 6, and into any irregularities such as burs, bubbles, or crizzles' in the finish of the vessel, or puckers or dents in the cap. The

cohesive nature of the. sealing charge prevents its being, broken,'thereby insuring the continuity of the seal, and also exerts a vessel and the cap. The extrusion of .the

sealing charge from the margin of the cap may be regulated by the form of the sealing mechanism and .the shape of the bead 5.

In the embodiment illustrated the arrangement of these elements is such that a marginal retaining flange 9 is provided below the bead 5, constituting an area in which the downwardly displaced portion of the sealing charge is retained and constricted toward vessel wall.

The use of this coherent plastic sealing charge in conjunction with a portion of a closure which is re-formed in the sealing operation permits the employment of considerably lighter material in the cap and also permits the operation to be effected by the use of pressures much lower than those employed upon closures in which the gasket of elastic and non-plastic material, such as vulcanized rubber, is employed. Moreover, with the use of the adhesive plastic material the possibility of the sealing material popping out from between the closure and the vessel, as frequently occurs in the use of vulcanized rubber gaskets, is obviated. These several advantages contribute to the formation of a better seal and more economical package, the preservation of-the finish of the closure, and the safety of the frangible vessels during the sealing operation. Moreover, removal of a closure seated in this manner is more readily accom plished than in the case of closures including vulcanized rubber or similar gaskets. All

that it is necessary to do is to insert some implement between theskirt of the cap and the side of the vessel-as illustratedby the .knife K in Fig. 3, which willbe effective to break the vacuum within the package and permit the removal of the cap, the adhesive sealing charge having been softened by heat, if necessary. The cap removed in this fashion is not mutilated or distorted in any way and may be used again on the vessel, and even sealed thereon again by running sealing wax or paraflin into the space be-" tween the vessel wall and skirt of the cap.

I am aware the use ,of a plastic coherent adhesive sealing material is not broadly new. However, its employment heretofore has been limited to instances where it is compressed between the vessel and the cap by the action of forcing the latter 'onto the former. Experience in this'manner of, sealing. has demonstrated that it is not reliable, as a large proportion of leakers'results. The defects of the prior devices employing a plastic sealing charge of this character are completely remedied by my invention, wherein re-formation of a portion of the cap is effected to move the sealing charge into its sealing position, and the form of the closure upon the completion of such re-formation is such as to retain the sealing charge.

-Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1 V

1. As an article of manufacture, a closure for packing vessels including a portion forming a cover for the mouth of the vcs sel and a portion disposed to encompass the side wall of the vessel, said last mentioned portion having a collapsible concave ductile part,'and a sealing charge of cohesive and adhesive plastic material disposed in contact with the concave wall of the ductile part and extrudable therefrom upon re-formation of said ductile part.

2. As an article of manufacture, a closure for packing vessels including a portion forming a cover for the mouth of the vessel and a portion disposed to encompass the side wall of the vessel, said last mentioned portion having a collapsible peripheral duc tile part forming an annular inwardly open groove, and a sealing charge of'cohesive plastic material disposed in the groove and molded in contact with the ductile part and extrudable from the groove upon re-formation of said ductile part.

3. As an article of manufacture, a closure for packing vessels comprising a cover portion, a skirt portion arranged to encompass the wall of the vessel, said skirt portion in- ,cluding a collapsible ductile part forming the wall of the vessel, said skirt portion ineluding a ductile part of arcuate cross section formed to accommodatev a sealing charge, a sealing charge of cohesive and adhesive plastic material disposed in said duo tile part and molded against its arcuate wall, and said ductile part being adaptable accomplish extrusion of a portion of the sealing charge from the ductile part of arcuate cross-section.

5. As an article of manufacture, a closure .cap comprising a cover portion adapted to cover the mouthof a vessel and a skirt portion depending therefrom/in position 'to. encompass the wall of the vessel, said skirt portion including a ductile part having an to be compressed exteriorly of the skirt to exteriorily projecting collapsible hollow portion, and a coherent plastic sealing charge retained in the hollow portion and extrudable therefrom by collapsing of the exteriorly projecting part thereof.

6. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap comprising a cover portion adapted to cover the mouth of a vessel and a skirt portion depending therefrom in position to encompass the wall of the vessel and maintain the cap in co-axial relationship therewith, said skirt portion including a ductile part having an exteriorly projecting collapsible hollow portion, and a coherent and adhesive plastic sealing charge retained entirely in the hollow portion and movable therefrom by collapsing of the exteriorly projecting part thereof.

7 As an article of manufacture, a package comprising in combination a vessel with a rigid sealing wall, a closure for said vessel comprising a cover portion, a skirt portion arranged to encompass the sealing wall of the vessel, said skirt portion including a ductile part formed to provide a channel on the inner side of the skirt and a protruding portion on the exterior of the skirt, a sealing charge of cohesive plastic material disposed in said channel outside the inner circumferential area of the skirt, said protruding portion being adaptable tobe mechanically deformable to accomplishextrusion of a portion of the sealing charge from the channel and against the sealing wall of the vessel.

8. The method of forming a. hermetically sealed package which includes providing a vessel and a closure therefor, dispos-' ing a charge of coherent plastic sealing material within the closure, placing the closure carrying said charge upon the ves sel with the sealin material out of contact 9. The method of forming a hermetically sealed package which includes providing a vessel and a closure therefor, disposing a charge of coherent plastic sealing material within the closure; supporting the charge of sealing material about, but out of contact with, the peripheral wall of the vessel by means of the closure; and re-forming a portion of the closure to intrude portions of the plastic sealing charge between the side wall of the vessel and other portions of the closure and to confine the charge.

10. The method of formin a hermetically sealed-package which inclu es providing a vessel and a closure therefor, disposing a charge of adhesive coherent plastic material within the closure, placing the closure carrying said charge upon the vessel, and reforming a portion of the closure to intrude portions of the plastic sealing charge between the side wall of the vessel and other portions of the closure, and to confine the charge.

GEORGE W. LUHRMANN. 

